WB9LYH also had 19 check-ins on 144.240 at 8pm central: N9OLT EN64; KD8PA EN72; N8WNA EN82; W9FRT EN51; K9CCL ,KC9RIO and KC9AZ EN61; KC9CLM EN52; W9YZU EM69; K8TQK EM89; KB9TEN EN53; KAoPQW EN33; W0HXL EN21; WB0YWW and KG0SJ EN22; W0ANH EN47; KC0P EN34 and KoSIX EN35.
Want to acknowledge new check-in W9FRT from the NW side of Chicago. Welcome aboard. Also want to say thanks for a good turnout to the SW. Nice to have so many signals from MN/IA/NE.

*REMEMBER — QST ABOUT THE 144.240 NET*
1) The 144.240 net (only the .240 net) changes start times every winter and spring.
THE 144.240 NET FROM WI WILL START AT 7PM CENTRAL UNTIL NEXT SPRING — EFFECTIVE WED., NOV 7TH.
Help us spread the word to those who might not have internet, email or know about this website.

2) WB9LYH will call the 144.240 net next Wed., Oct 17th, as usual.
On Oct. 24th and 31st, I will call the .240 net, from an hour north of Milwaukee, grid square EN63ao. I may be the 144.240 net control on additional nights in Nov. and Dec. — of course we’ll announce everything here just like we always do.

Posted in Blog Post | Comments Off on Net Reports — 19 Check-Ins for Both K8TQK and WB9LYH

Have a few updates about the 144.240 net.
First, those who have been around for a few seasons will recall that we change our start time every winter and spring.
*EFFECTIVE NOV. 7TH, THE 144.240 NET FROM WI WILL START ONE HOUR EARLIER, AT 7PM CENTRAL* This change will remain in effect until next spring. Help us spread the word, please.
Also, this change only concerns the 144.240 net. K8TQK keeps his 144.252 net at 8:30pm eastern year-round.

Second, I will be taking the 144.240 net on at least Oct. 24th and Oct. 31st. Perhaps Nov. 7th, too. We’ll worry about that when it gets closer. WB9LYH occasionally needs time off, and when he does, I pinch-hit. I am located an hour north of Milwaukee, grid square EN63ao. I have a good signal, just not quite in WB9LYH’s class. That’s why I was so happy when Mark started taking over back in late 2009 — goodness! Has it really been 3 years?
If you want a more detailed history of the Wed. night nets have evolved since I started them in June of 2008, click here: http://kc9bqa.com/?p=5363 That post was originally made on Oct. 20, 2011, but the info still applies.

Posted in Blog Post | Comments Off on QST About the 144.240 Net In October and Early November

Both our Wed. long-range 2m SSB nets should be on tomorrow night.
K8TQK is on 144.252 at 0030Z (8:30pm eastern) from EM89je, far south-central OH.
WB9LYH is on 144.240 at 0100Z (8pm central) from EN54cl, middle of WI.
These nets are for all licensed amateurs. They are informal; listen along or say hello when you’re ready. The goal is to increase activity on the SSB portions of the 2m band. We can attract more hams to the weak-signal portions of bands like 50, 144, 222 and 432 MHz IF.. IF… hams know where and when to actually hear some signals.

Both net controls start out looking north, then gradually turn their beams clockwise, calling CQ frequently. This means they look N first, then NE, E, SE, S, SW, W and NW. This typically takes an hour or so, depending on how active the nets are.
That’s the short story. If you want more detail, read on.
Please feel free to distribute the info here to other hams.

The whole purpose of my website, of my emails, is to get more amateurs to use the SSB/CW/digi portions of the V/UHF bands. FM and repeaters are useful and surely have plenty of friends, but don’t hams want their signal to go farther? 10-11 years ago, I didn’t know that there were guys who used horizontal yagis and SSB to talk 100, 200, sometimes 300-500 miles to each other on/near 144.200 MHz. Why does this remain such a secret? It’s not like our bands are crowded, for goodness sake. So yes, spread the word. Get going. 🙂

It helps you connect with the activity and dozens of others hams if you log into the free, no BS ham chat at www.on4kst.com. There are many interesting chats to choose from at on4kst.com. The one for US/VE VHF/UHF activity is the IARU Region 2 chat for 144-432 MHz. Over 3500 V/UHF’ers are now registered, with more joining every day. The chats are open 7/24, and always have activity in the mornings and evenings. If you have a computer with internet near your rigs, check it out. The 7 simple steps to get registered are at this post: http://kc9bqa.com/?p=1072 No computer chat should ever be a substitute for making on-air contacts. But it can be a very useful tool for getting more Q’s in your log.

We want all 2m enthusiasts to do their own “looking around”. We certainly appreciate you saying hello to net control, but let’s face it, if 20-40 hams all key the mic for less than 5 minutes a week, it’s not going to keep the airwaves alive. We want hams to reach out, and use their stations to find others. Imagine if 20-40 VHF’ers in different states and grid squares were on the air, spreading out across the band, calling CQ, rotating yagis and looking in all directions. If that happened a few times a week, or on a weekend morning or evening, it would do a world of good. There is way too much “just listening” going on. If 20 hams have their rigs all on 144.200 and they’re all “just listening”, then nobody will hear a thing. And hams will continue to complain “nobody’s ever on these bands.”

Posted in Blog Post | Comments Off on K8TQK and WB9LYH Long-Range Nets ON Wed. Night

The only net report I have today is WB9LYH’s. Mark reported average conditions, with no effect from the strong cold front that is still to the NW of WI this morning. (Eastern ND and far NW MN is having accumulating snow this morning, true story.)
His 13 check-ins were: N9OLT EN64; N8WNA EN82; KC8ZJL EN71; K9CCL EN61; KC9CLM EN52; W9YZU EM69; W8MIL EN74; KB9TEN EN53; KE0MS EN41; KG0SU EN22; KC0P/R (prolly EN34); KA0KYZ EN33.
WB9LYH also notes that he had a station calling from the ESE that he and N9OLT could not pick out. “10 watts” and perhaps “EN91” was heard, and that was it. Conditions were not good enough to complete the contact, but thanks for trying, whoever you are.

K8TQK’s 144.252 net wasn’t really “on” last night. As mentioned here, Bob was concentrating more on the 432 sprint. He was monitoring 144.252, for anyone who wanted to get his attention there so they could set up a 432 contact.

Next Wed., I would expect both K8TQK and WB9LYH on with their nets, as usual. If you want more info about these nets, here’s a useful link: http://kc9bqa.com/?p=6173

About the 432 MHz sprint last night… I planned to be on from 7-8pm central, but didn’t get home until 8pm and by then it was debate time. So I was a no-show. From the WI-area comments I saw on the ON4KST.com chat, I didn’t miss much activity.

9:20pm Tuesday —
Got email from K8TQK. He will be doing double-duty tomorrow night. He’ll be operating in the 432 MHz Sprint, which runs from 7-11pm. He will also be listening on 144.252, for stations that want a 432 sprint contact. Here’s Bob’s words:
“Hi Todd, I would like to run the 432 sprint, but will listen to 144.252 for stations that want a 432 q.
I’ll start looking South each hour , then West at :15min., then north at :30min., then East at :45 min..
G L to all on the sprint..
73 Bob K8TQK EM89JE”

WB9LYH will do his 144.240 net tomorrow night, the same way he always does. Mark doesn’t have 432. He gets on 144.240 from EN54cl, right in the middle of WI, at 0100Z, or 8pm central. Starts out looking northeast, then goes E, SE, S, SW, W, NW and back to N before ending the net about an hour later.

I suspect things will be quieter this week, due to the Presidential Debate.

Posted in Blog Post | Comments Off on K8TQK 144.252 Net Will be Different for Oct. 3rd. WB9LYH 144.240 net ON As Usual.